Christian Arts Academy
SHOWCASE 2025
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All of the information you need to know
for this year's Showcase in one place!
A Note from Mr. Nate and Mrs. Lisa,
We are so happy with all of the support and sacrifice you've put in to your children's education throughout this year.
It's going to be a wonderful Showcase!
In order to ensure everyone has the best show experience possible, it is imperative that everyone attends every class
and rehearsal for which they are called in the last
month before opening night so everyone
(parents, students, instructors alike) feels confident!
Our green room monitors are all parents/instructors who are trained in assisting and monitoring students in the green room setting. For the safety of all our students, we ask that only students and authorized green room personnel remain backstage and in green rooms during shows except for extenuating circumstances where permission has been granted. You are of course welcome to come in and help your child get set up during dress rehearsals. For details on how to access your child after drop off, please consult our info section below.
Parents are invited to attend dress rehearsals. Feel free to take all the pictures or videos you'd like since it is prohibited during the show. We just ask that you keep all conversations in the lobby in order not to disturb the rehearsal. We want to get everyone finished and headed home at a reasonable hour!
AND LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST...
To all of our parent volunteers, thank you. It's because of you that we are able to give the kids an excellent experience as close to what they would encounter in a professional performance career as we possibly can. When you come in to serve so selflessly for a show, you are giving another parent the opportunity to watch their own kid and helping us keep the show from crashing and burning (literally!). You likely have no idea just how much your support and sacrifice is appreciated. We literally cannot do it without you all.
Don't forget to secure your seats and invite your family and friends!
A note for Duck Duck and Twinkle Stars,
Students will be dropped off at their assigned room in costume for their 'class party' before each show.
We ask that as soon as your child is done performing, please you make your way to their green room to pick them up so our instructors can be released to take care of their other classes.
Schedule
Good to Know!
Important info to help make your life less stressful leading up to and during Showcase
WHAT TO EXPECT
PLAN FOR SUCCESS
Shows are not a day to "wing it." Please pack and check all costumes no later than the day before the first dress rehearsal. Making a list of each dance number and respective costume, accessory, hairstyle, etc helps you make sure you have everything your student will need.
PROTOCOL CHANGES
Two major things that are different about show days:
• Students must be dropped off under port-cochere or walked in by parent/guardian to lobby front desk.
• No student is allowed outside unattended by staff/parent.
BEFORE DRESS REHEARSAL
PREP
Check for your child's first call time and if at all possible, plan to get them signed in 10-15 minutes before their call time so they can
settle in and warm up their body.
Contact an instructor with any questions before the day of rehearsal/show.
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Your costume bag with everything in it
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Clothes/Shoes to go home in. All costume items must remain in green room until after final show (except Twinkle/Duck)
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Dance Bag: All dance shoes, hair and makeup supplies for touch ups, any other needed items (label your name in ea. individual shoe / item)
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Sealable water bottle and snack (no unsealed drink: ie. open mouth, can, or straw /food permitted in green rooms)
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Cover up for eating/drinking.
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Pack a dinner that can be eaten in the lobby.
• Long skirt - if your student is unwilling to change in front of others.
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Please review our list of items that are allowed and not allowed in green room items before packing activities/toys to keep your child engaged while waiting.
Packing List
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Arrive already in hair and makeup. No jewelry of any kind.
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Nails must be trimmed to fingertip (ladies, clear nail polish only) for both dress rehearsals and Showcase).
PLEASE NOTE
PACKING
The day before first dress rehearsal, check all costumes/accessories and pack dance bag. Hang costumes in bathroom and steam by running shower on hot until wrinkles/creases dissapear before returning to bag.
Twinkle Stars and Duck Duck Dance: Keep your costumes and shoes with you and arrive in hair and costume to your dress rehearsal and shows.
Everyone else: Bring your costume and bag with you to first dress rehearsal. Your costume bag, accessories, and dance shoes must stay at your assigned green room station from first dress rehearsal until final show.
UPON ARRIVAL
ARRIVE
10-15 mins before call time if possible (except Twinkle and Duck Duck).
This helps alleviate stress day of allowing time to settle in.
DROP OFF
Under porte-cochere or parents walk student in to lobby. No one is allowed outside without a parent or staff member with them.
SIGN IN
At front desk in lobby, then find assigned green room and place all items at assigned station, before heading straight to the auditorium for warm up.
AT CALL TIME
We’ll begin warm up all together then head back to green rooms and
change into costumes.
DRESS REHEARSAL
Once in costume, sit in lobby or auditorium. Follow closely the “Order of Show” list: students must be in the wings the number before they go on stage with entire costume on properly and any props for which they are responsible. If someone does not come to stage in time for places, the class will go on without them since we need to get everyone home at a decent time. Help each other out and check everyone's costumes before getting in the wings!
SHOW DAY
On show day, everyone will remain in their assigned green room and clip off access wristbands when the monitor says. Again, everyone will need to be in the wings the number before they go on. If in the green room with lobby access, a child gopher will come to escort them to the backstage door to get to the wings, and after they exit stage they will be there to take the student(s) back and get the next group.
Access bands will be required for all students and approved volunteers.
No one without an access band will be allowed in green rooms/backstage on show days. For parents who need to access their child
after drop off on show day, here is our protocol:
ACCESSING YOUR CHILD AFTER DROP OFF:
• Forgotten items can be dropped off at the lobby desk and we will get it to your kid.
• In the event that your student needs you to help with an emergency situation, you will be contacted and special permission will be granted for access at the front desk/backstage door.
For any other situation or request, please come to the front desk and we will be happy to assist you.
AFTER FINAL SHOW
Parents and students are responsible for making sure each assigned green room station is properly organized according to our standards before leaving on rehearsal/show day. After final show, pack all labeled items and costume pieces and dance shoes in assigned garment bag and take it all home!
EXPECTATIONS
STAY TIL THE END
Parents of Twinkle Stars and Duck Duck Dance students are not always able to stay for the entirety of Showcase due to bedtimes which we understand.
Otherwise, we ask when you purchase a ticket, please stay for the entirety of the show so every child gets to perform for a full house.
HONORING STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS
Our volunteer stagehands and green room monitors are truly gifts from Heaven. Please take a moment ahead of time and explain to your child how long rehearsal/show days can be and how students must listen and obey our volunteer staff right away since they are tasked with keeping everyone safe!
HAVING FUN AND KEEPING THINGS CALM
Calm begins with us adults. This can be a busy and stressful time of year, but the kids are watching us. If we all keep our volume and urgency levels low all week, everyone will have a better experience.
We have done this for over a decade and there is almost no challenge/problem that cannot be worked out. We know from previous parents in the program that once they got over the initial uncertainty (which we are here to help you navigate), they are able to enjoy each dress rehearsal and show!
If your child is on the verge of a meltdown (it does happen from time to time when nerves are involved), please find a quiet, private place to work it out.
CAMERAS AND COURTESY
Cameras taking pictures/videos (yes even smartphones) are very distracting for students during a show and a terrible annoyance to the audience members sitting all around. If you would like to get candid shots of your students on stage, we invite you to come during one of their dress rehearsals to snap a few shots/videos. Please refrain from photographing/videoing during the show. When you get a great shot and share it online, please tag us to help drum up some last minute ticket sales! (@explore_circle)
FOR THE "OH NO" MOMENTS...
If your child’s costume gets stained or otherwise damaged, don't panic. Just contact their instructor ASAP for assistance. We DO NOT HAVE EXTRAS this year. So it is critically important that everyone covers up while eating/drinking, stays away from water and messy substances, and is very careful in costumes. If a costume is damaged beyond repair, the student may not be permitted to perform. Thank you for helping us teach responsibility for costumes and props!
GREEN ROOM RULES
1. For the safety of all our students, we require only authorized personnel (students, parents, authorized pickup persons, volunteers, etc.) are allowed in green rooms after initial setup at first dress rehearsal. Access wristband must be attained at lobby kiosk/office before you will be permitted backstage or in any green room. (This does not apply to Twinkle or Duck Duck.)
2. No one is allowed to leave Green Room without their parent or monitor, except for bathroom break paired with another student of same gender (must get permission from room monitor.)
3. Obey right away: all gophers, monitors, and teachers.
4. Must have cover up on at all times when eating or drinking including water.
5. Stage whispers only once show starts.
6. Blue tape must stay on costumes/shoes at all times.
7. Everything at your station goes back exactly how you found it. No messing with anyone else’s station/stuff.
8. Make sure your name is in EVERY shoe and item you bring. (No Tap Shoes for Curtain Call)
9. Help each other out!
10. Show kindness: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
11. No gum.
12. All drinks and snacks/food must be in a re-sealable container (no unsealed drink or food permitted in green room or backstage at any time. ie. open mouth, can, or straw)
Unsealed food will be confiscated.
CONTACT US
Mrs. Lisa • Email: lisa@randyestelle.com
Artistic Director / Front of House Manager
Mrs. Heather • Call or Text CCAA phone (941) 705-4748
Volunteer Coordinator
Office hours: 10am-8pm, Mon-Sat
Mrs. Celeste • Call or Text (941) 209-8990
Ballet 4, Pointe 2, Jazz 3/4
Mrs. Jessi • Call or Text (941) 920-3259
Acro Arts
Ms. Tori • Call or Text (240) 440-9713
Ballet 1-3, Pointe 1, Jazz 2
Mrs. Danielle • Call or Text (941) 518-4851
Duck Duck Dance, Twinkle Stars, Jazz 1
Mrs. G (Cecily) • Call or Text (941) 713-1931
Contemporary 1-2, Tap 1-3/4
Office hours: 8am-9pm, Mon-Sat
IMPORTANT NAMES TO KNOW
Mr. Chris • Stage Manager
Mrs. Lisa • Director / Front of House Manager
Mr. Nate • Administrator / Technical Manager
Mrs. Heather • Box Office Manager
COSTUMES
COSTUME CARE
• Do not use iron directly on costumes unless thay are shirt-like polyester/cotton
• No water directly on costumes or else they will stain
• Do not wash or dry clean costumes!
• Do use a steamer to remove wrinkles/creases.
01.
Check and pack your costume, accesories, and dance shoes the day before dress rehearsal.
02.
Steam any wrinkles out of all costumes before each show. (Steamer available on campus)
03.
Keep assigned station in green room organized up to CCAA standards before, during, and after every rehearsal and show.
04.
Do hair and makeup before arriving for dress rehearsal and on show day.
05.
Take Showcase dance costumes home with you after the show! (Does not apply to Alice in Wonderland cast)
High Ballet Bun
At the crest.
Low Ballet Bun
At the nape of neck.
(skip ahead in video to timecode: 0:56)
PRO PACKING TIP: Accessories
Using a ziplock bag to hold accessories (hairpiece, gloves, etc.) for each dance is the easiest way to keep track of them. You can use a sharpie to mark the name of the dance they are for and list the contents of each bag to make the final double check before leaving home simple.
Let's talk underwear...
If a student is going to wear a bra, please make sure it is flesh colored and will be hidden by their costume. If the color of a strap on the costume does not match your child's skin tone, just take a sponge with 'pancake' makeup and cover thoroughly so it better camouflages on stage. (Just be careful not to get it anywhere else on the costume! 😉)